Variable elevation target projection system with rotary mirror assembly



Sept. 8, 1964 N. M. GELFAND 3,147,664

VARIABLE ELEVATION TARGET PROJECTION SYSTEM WITH ROTARY MIRROR ASSEMBLYOriginal Filed June 29, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INV EN TOR. A Ar/MM M 622r/m a Sept. 8, 1964 N. M. GELFAND 3,147,664

VARIABLE ELEVATION TARGET PROJECTION SYSTEM WITH ROTARY MIRROR ASSEMBLYOriginal Filed June 29. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Mi /{41v M6152;44 0

United States Patento VARIABLE ELEVATION TARGET PROJECTION SYSTEM WITHROTARY MOR ASSEMBLY Nathan M. Gelfand, North Valley Stream, N.Y.,assignor to Ideal Toy Corporation, Hollis, Long Island, N.Y., acorporation of New York Original application June 29, 1959, Ser. No.823,474. Divided and this application May 8, 1961, Ser. No.

2 Claims. (Cl. 88-24) This invention relates to an optical device foruse in a toy simulating the cockpit of a miliary airplane, and moreparticularly to a system for projecting a moving image of a simiulatedtarget at differing elevations on a wall or like projection surface.This application is a division of the application of Nathan M. Gelfand,Serial No. 823,474, filed June 29, 1959, now abandoned, entitled ToyCockpit.

Various projection devices exist for providing a target image on aprojection surface. Through the use of this projection device it is nowpossible to provide increased play value by producing wide sweeps ofvarious shapes and sizes of targets along a projection surface such as awall or the like. Each successive sweep is at a different level orelevation rendering the tracking of the target a greater challenge thusincreasing the enjoyment derived from this projection device.

An object of this invention is to provide a system for projecting animage of a simulated target on the wall in a realistic manner, with thetarget moving along the wall successively at different elevationsthereby affording a toy of very great play value.

A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of aprojection system which employs means for projecting images of differentsizes and shapes simulating aircraft, missiles, spaceships, and variousother airborne targets.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a simple means forreflecting light rays onto a wall or other similar surface at differentelevations to' render the tracking of a target more difficult and moreinteresting to the user of the toy.

The construction of this invention features an arr-angement including amirror assembly which is rotated and which has a plurality of mirrorsextending at differing angles to the axis of rotation so that a targetimage is reflected on a wall or other similar surface at differentelevations dependent upon the angular relationship of the mirror withrespect to the light rays and the surface onto which the target isreflected. I

Still further objects and features of this invention reside in theprovision of a system for projecting a moving image of a simulatedtarget that is simple in construction, easy for even a child to use andenjoy, and which is capable of being manufactured out of readilyavailable materials thereby permitting mass production for wide scaledistribution.

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention, themirror assembly incorporated in the embodiment includes a plurality ofplanar mirrors disposed at different angles to the vertical. A beam oflight from a light source is intercepted by suitable means for forming atarget image and is directed on the mirror assembly as it is turning.The position of each mirror will determine the position of the targetimage reflected on a wall or other projection surface and wide sweep ofthe target across the projection surface will be consecutively reflectedby the difierent mirrors with each succesive sweep of the target beingat different elevation or level.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of theinvention which will become apparent as the following descriptionproceeds, are attained by this 3,147,664 Patented Sept. 8, 1964 "iceprojection system, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustratedin accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the projection system;

FIG. 2 is'a partial vertical sectional view of the inventionparticularly illustrating the construction of the mirror assembly;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the projection system; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional detail view taken along the plane of line 44 inFIG. 2 illustrating details of construction of the image forming means.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein likereference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views,reference numeral 10 generally designates the projection systemcomprising the present invention. This projection system 10 is anoptical device adapted to be used in a Toy Cockpit disclosed in theapplication of Nathan M. Gelfand, Serial No. 823,474, filed June 29,1959, now abandoned.

The projection system 10 is suitably mounted within the toy cockpit andincludes a source 12 for a beam of light image forming means 14, a lensassembly 16 for focusing light rays passing through the image formingmeans 14, and a mirror assembly 18 for reflecting the focused light raysonto a suitable surface such as a wall or the like. Drive means 20 areprovided for rotating the mirror assembly 18 to sequentially bring theportions of the mirror assembly into alignment with the focused lightrays from the lens assembly 16 whereby a moving simulated target isprojected on a wall or like surface at different elevations.

The projection system 10 is adapted to be mounted within a housing (notshown) of any convenient or desired size or shape and on any convenientsupport 21. Within the housing the light source 12 is suitably mountedand may include an incandescent lamp 22 suitably con nected to a sourceof electrical power and controlled by convention switch mechanism (notshown). The lamp 22 may be mounted in a suitable socket 24 provided witha reflector 26.

The image forming means 14 include a target plate 30 having a pluralityof apertures 32 therethrough of varying sizes and shapes correspondingto simulated targets. Each of the apertures serve to shape the lightrays passing therethrough from the lamp 22. Below the apertures 32 are aseries of holes 34. A detent spring 35 mounted on the support 21 holdsthe plate 30 in a selected position by engagement in a selected hole 34.Each hole 34 corresponds to an aperture 32 so that the detent spring 35serves to hold the plate 30 in accurate aligned position relative to thelamp 22.

The plate 30 is pivoted by means of a pin or bolt 36 to the support 21.A link 38 is pivoted at 40 to the plate 30 and is mounted for movementrelative to the support 21. Operating lever 42 having a handle 44 ispivoted at 46 to the support 21. The end 48 of lever 42 is pivotallyconnected to link 38 so that handle 44 may be manipulated to select theposition of the plate 30.

Light rays passing through the selected aperture 32 in plate 30 aredirected through the lens assembly 16. The lens assembly 16 may includea lens mount in the form of a tray 60 slidably movable in guides 62 and64. Rising up from the tray 60 is a lens frame 66 in which a focusinglens 68 is mounted.

A lever 70 provided with a handle 72 is connected to the tray 60 and ispivoted at 74 to the support 21. The rear end portion 76 of the lever 70is upwardly inclined and extends into an opening 78 in tray 60. Thispermits movement of the handle 72 to position the tray 60 and hence movethe lens 68 to focus light rays passing there- 3 through so that adiscrete image is focused on the mirror assembly 18 for reflectionthereby.

The mirror assembly 18 is shown in greatest detail in FIG. 2. The mirrorassembly 18 includes a drum 80 turnably mounted on the upper end of ashaft 82. A bottom wall 84 is fixedly secured to the drum 80 and has aprojection 86 provided with a recess 88 which rests upon and receivespin 90 therein for rotating the drum 80. A plurality of mirrors 92, 94,96, etc. are fixed to the drum in any suitable manner. These mirrors areplanar and it is noted that these mirrors extend at different angularrelationship to the shaft 82 which forms the axis of rotation of themirror assembly 18. The mirror 96 is shown as extending vertically whilemirror 92 is shown as being upwardly inwardly inclined. The mirrors aredisposed about the periphery of drum 82 in angular relationship to eachother.

The bottom wall 84 is provided with cam surfaces 98 and 100 whosefunction is not related to this projection system.

The drive means 20 includes an electric motor 102 supported on a shelf104 or like portion of the housing (not shown). The motor 102 has anoutput vertical shaft 106 with a pinion 108 fixedly mounted thereon.Journalled in the shelf 104 is vertical shaft 110 which is fixed againstvertical movement. Another vertical shaft 112 is fixedly secured to theshelf 104. A gear 114 is fixedly mounted on the shaft 110 and mesheswith pinion 108 and is rotated thereby. Pinion 116 is fixedly mounted onshaft 110 and rotates therewith and meshes in turn with gear 118turnably mounted on shaft 112. Fastened to gear 118 is another pinion120 which meshes with gear 122 which is turnably mounted on shaft 110and which has pinion 124 fixed thereto which in turn meshes with afurther gear 126 carrying pin 90. The various gears and pinions form agear reduction assembly and the motor therefor drives gear 126 and themirror assembly 18 at a reduced speed.

In operation, with the motor 102 and lamp 22 operatively electricallyconnected to a source of electrical power, light rays emitted by lamp 22pass through a selected one of the apertures 32 to form an imagefoscused by lens 68 on the mirrors 92, 94, 96, etc. of the mirrorassembly 18. The mirrors 92, 94, 96 because they are arranged at variousangles will reflect the focused image on a Wall or like surface atvarious elevations. Handle 72 may be manipulated to adjust the lens 68for ideal focus while the particular target image is selected byadjusting handle 44. The spring detent 34 which will serve to hold plate30 is adjusted position so that the selected one of the apertures 32 isin alignment with the lamp 22 and lens 68.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in theforegoing disclosure and in some instances some features of theinvention will be employed without a corresponding use of otherfeatures.

What I claim is:

1. A projection system comprising a light source, a lens, a platebetween said light source and said lens, said plate having a pluralityof through apertures of different sizes and shapes, means for movingsaid plate so that a selected aperture is positioned in the light pathbetween said light source and said lens, a mirror assembly disposed onthe opposite side of said lens from said plate, said mirror assemblyincluding a drum having an axis of rotation, a plurality of mirrorssecured on said drum at differing angular relationships to said axis soas to reflect light rays at differing elevations, and means connected tosaid drum for rotating said mirror assembly so that a moving image isreflected by said mirrors at differing elevations.

2. In a toy target device, a projection system for flashing movingtargets on a remote surface at a plurality of locations on said surfacecomprising, in combination, a support, a light source fixedly mounted onsaid support, a lens mounted on said support for movement toward andaway from said light source, said light source and said lens defining alight beam path, a target image-forming shield mounted on said supportbetween said lens and said light source for movement transverse to saidlight beam path, said target image-forming screen being opaque andhaving formed therein a plurality of openings in the shape of targets,the light beam emanating from the light source being shaped to form atarget image by said shield, means for selectively moving said targetimage-forming shield for bringing different ones of said openings intosaid light beam path for selectively shaping the light beam intodiffering target images, a shaft mounted for rotation on said support, aplurality of mirrors secured to said shaft at various small angles fromparallel thereto, said shaft being adjacent but spaced from said lightbeam path on the side of said lens removed from said light source suchthat said mirrors successively intercept the shaped light beam as saidshaft is rotated, and drive means for said shaft to drive same and saidmirrors for reflecting successive target images onto the remote surfaceat different 10- cations on the surface and for moving said targetimages across the surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,790,491 Smith Jan. 27, 1931 1,895,239 Venzie Jan. 24, 1933 1,935,084Edwards Nov. 14, 1933 1,937,378 Alexanderson Nov. 28, 1933 2,285,915Dutton June 9, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 300,602 Germany Oct. 17, 1919283,203 Great Britain July 5, 1928

1. A PROJECTION SYSTEM COMPRISING A LIGHT SOURCE, A LENS, A PLATEBETWEEN SAID LIGHT SOURCE AND SAID LENS, SAID PLATE HAVING A PLURALITYOF THROUGH APERTURES OF DIFFERENT SIZES AND SHAPES, MEANS FOR MOVINGSAID PLATE SO THAT A SELECTED APERTURE IS POSITIONED IN THE LIGHT PATHBETWEEN SAID LIGHT SOURCE AND SAID LENS, A MIRROR ASSEMBLY DISPOSED ONTHE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID LENS FROM SAID PLATE, SAID MIRROR ASSEMBLYINCLUDING A DRUM HAVING AN AXIS OF ROTATION, A PLURALITY OF MIRRORSSECURED ON SAID DRUM AT DIFFERING ANGULAR RELATIONSHIPS TO SAID AXIS SOAS TO REFLECT LIGHT RAYS AT DIFFERING ELEVATIONS, AND MEANS CONNECTED TOSAID DRUM FOR ROTATING SAID MIRROR ASSEMBLY SO THAT A MOVING IMAGE ISREFLECTED BY SAID MIRRORS AT DIFFERING ELEVATIONS.